I'm copying a private convo I had with someone over at DIYaudio.com. Posting it here so others can also contribute.
Q:
Hi Shaun,
Any suggestions regarding soldering irons? It seems the Hakko FX-888D is recommended.
Any knowledge of the FX 600 and FX 601?
And what tip to use... chisel or bevel tip...size...?
Thanks.
A:
Hi
There are a lot of soldering irons on the market these days, many of them offering very good value for money. I'm old-school and have only owned 3 different makes so far. Hakko is a respected name, from what I know, but I can't comment on their models as I have no experience with them. I can share a few thoughts, though:
1. The soldering iron you choose will depend on your frequency of use, primarily. It won't be cost-effective to buy an expensive one if you will rarely use it.
2. What will you solder?
2a. For soldering through-hole components, the most versatile bit is a 2.5mm chisel-shape. If you are going to solder lugs and larger joints, then you will also need a heavier type. For SMT the selection becomes more sophisticated. If you are seriously into electronic assembly work you will have an assortment of bits.
2b. What temperature will you solder at? In the old days, the recommendation would be to get a temperature-regulated soldering iron - around 270 degC - (so it does not overheat), but nowadays if you are repairing equipment you may need one that can be set to around 380 degCs for handling lead-free solder. And if you want to solder plastic, somewhat lower (200 degC and below).
2c. The shape of the tip should suit the joint you are soldering. Most of my tips are chisel-shaped but my smallest that I use for SMT include conical, chisel and beveled shapes. The primary consideration is that the soldering tip should contact both items you are joining so that heat is transferred evenly within the process. At SMT level the scale of the components are so small that the whetting solder blob on the tip can be the primary contact point but in through-hole soldering and above (size-wise) the tip itself must conduct the heat. I use a beveled tip when the contact area is small: the ridge where the bevel meets the cone has a small radius, so this helps to get into small places without having to resort to a smaller tip (typical example is when the PCB pads are under-sized).
3. Availability of parts & accessories and after-sales service.
3a. I found the local Magnum brand to be surprisingly well-supported. I use a Magnum 2006 but can also recommend the SM2004.
3b. If you want to spoil yourself, you can also look at niche-type soldering irons like the TS80 and TS100. The TS-100 is actually good but needs a proper stand, as it is of such low mass that the chord pushes it around if you are using the small stand that it comes with.
I hope that this helps.
Regards
Shaun
Q:
Hi Shaun,
Any suggestions regarding soldering irons? It seems the Hakko FX-888D is recommended.
Any knowledge of the FX 600 and FX 601?
And what tip to use... chisel or bevel tip...size...?
Thanks.
A:
Hi
There are a lot of soldering irons on the market these days, many of them offering very good value for money. I'm old-school and have only owned 3 different makes so far. Hakko is a respected name, from what I know, but I can't comment on their models as I have no experience with them. I can share a few thoughts, though:
1. The soldering iron you choose will depend on your frequency of use, primarily. It won't be cost-effective to buy an expensive one if you will rarely use it.
2. What will you solder?
2a. For soldering through-hole components, the most versatile bit is a 2.5mm chisel-shape. If you are going to solder lugs and larger joints, then you will also need a heavier type. For SMT the selection becomes more sophisticated. If you are seriously into electronic assembly work you will have an assortment of bits.
2b. What temperature will you solder at? In the old days, the recommendation would be to get a temperature-regulated soldering iron - around 270 degC - (so it does not overheat), but nowadays if you are repairing equipment you may need one that can be set to around 380 degCs for handling lead-free solder. And if you want to solder plastic, somewhat lower (200 degC and below).
2c. The shape of the tip should suit the joint you are soldering. Most of my tips are chisel-shaped but my smallest that I use for SMT include conical, chisel and beveled shapes. The primary consideration is that the soldering tip should contact both items you are joining so that heat is transferred evenly within the process. At SMT level the scale of the components are so small that the whetting solder blob on the tip can be the primary contact point but in through-hole soldering and above (size-wise) the tip itself must conduct the heat. I use a beveled tip when the contact area is small: the ridge where the bevel meets the cone has a small radius, so this helps to get into small places without having to resort to a smaller tip (typical example is when the PCB pads are under-sized).
3. Availability of parts & accessories and after-sales service.
3a. I found the local Magnum brand to be surprisingly well-supported. I use a Magnum 2006 but can also recommend the SM2004.
3b. If you want to spoil yourself, you can also look at niche-type soldering irons like the TS80 and TS100. The TS-100 is actually good but needs a proper stand, as it is of such low mass that the chord pushes it around if you are using the small stand that it comes with.
I hope that this helps.
Regards
Shaun
